Whiteline Control Arm replacement - KCA334
 

My first contribution to this forum... it's a 2007 GH WRX (08-14 Gen3)... and is a pictorial of a failed control-arm rear bushing.
How it failed, why it failed, the replacement, and installing the replacement with some thought to preventing the initial cause of failure.

The car had a set of Whiteline bushes fitted >10 years ago.
Looking for possible causes of brake shudder and suspension knocking... found this.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...49254bed19.jpg


The bushing material has completely come off its outer shell, leaving the arm to slide up/down.
Needless to say, it has to come out...
[[i]can I put video here?]

Compare new KCA334 with old KCA334. Note the thicker shoulder (narrower 'bevel' for 'thrust' bush as Whiteline calls the caps).
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...3ece06b740.jpg

On the new KCA334, I noticed that two of the caps had the crosshatch (for grease retention), the other two were smooth walled.
I contacted them... they said it was a mistake - they should all have the crosshatch. But, they'll be fine and you can install them anyway. Ok...?
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...84fb786456.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...bec587cd4b.jpg

So, new bushes go in both sides.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...7a454aaf30.jpg

Now, why did this happen.
Water and rust are the problem. The outer shell (now destroyed in the extration process) was surfaced with corrosion which I think let the bush material go.
Looking at the tubes that came out, you can see the deterioration from corrosion.
Clearly the bottom of this tube was sitting in water for a long time.

See that the other side still has the crosshatch marks from the inner bushing and grease. This is good.
But no such condition on the failed one.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...fb57312d2f.jpg

Re-assembled both sides.. with liberal use of the supplied PTFE grease.
I also filled the lower caps with grease, so that there is no void for water to collect.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...4d6286bd39.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...3540dee251.jpg

And, yes. Put in the Whiteline plates as well.

Three video's.